More misplaced poisons of Mother Earth
It’s been inspiring to read the recent letters of ecological
concern by Eloise Christensen and Kerrin McCall regarding cleaner snow removal policies.
Their letters remind me of a similar concern for the soil at Friedman Memorial
Airport, which has been thoroughly contaminated through decades of aircraft
deicing.
With the large budget that our Hailey airport has, it
would be nice to see board members consider a feasibility study along the lines
of a large indoor heated de-icing structure for
aircraft to taxi through before flying off. Such an arrangement could be
designed with environmentally friendly drains for collecting the used de-icing
fluid, and then cleaning and recycling it.
Another
potential improvisation to remove dangerous ice would be by beaming aircraft
with modernized microwave systems. Constructing a heated hanger for airplanes to
pass through shortly before takeoff would lessen the amount of de-icing fluid
or microwaves required. In summer, the de-icing booth could even be designed to
double as an aircraft wash bay, where frequent engine cleanses would contribute
to improved airplane fuel efficiency.
Meanwhile, our thoughtful community
should look forward to the ongoing proactive research and letters of public
interest from Eloise and Kerrin. After all, we would be less polluted as people
if more folks cared about our fragile environment as much they do.
